And just like that, within a matter of days, the jury has reached a verdict in Apple vs. Samsung. The basic gist is simple: Apple's software patents are valid, and many Samsung devices infringe upon them. Apple's iPhone 3G trade dress is valid, and Samsung's Galaxy S line infringes, but other devices did not. Samsung did not infringe Apple's iPad design patent. Apple did not infringe any of Samsung's patents. Apple is awarded a little over $1 billion in damages. Competition lost today, and developers in the United States should really start to get worried - software patents got validated big time today.

I'm not defending Apple here; I certainly had hoped the trial would go the other way. But I have to admit I've seen a trend in the Korean market towards copying Western design. Take Kia and Hyundai cars, for example. Every time Honda makes a change to the Accord's headlights and tail lights, the following year's Hyundai sedans take on a similar look. There is a Kia car that is a cartoonish mashup of Jaguar and Mercedes sedans as well. In fact, I'd say the only Kia/Hyundai vehicle that isn't a blatant copy of a Western design is their minivan.

That's not to say that I think Samsung copied the various iDevices with all of their products. In fact, I'd say that there are several HTC phones that would be easier to confuse for an iPhone. The fact is, it's difficult to get away from the rectangular, black-bordered touch screen design when it comes to something you're going to stick up to your ear and talk into. Until Google improves the Project Glass hardware to the point that a phone is integrated into the frame, we're going to be stuck with slabs of plastic, glass and metal for a while yet.